...really? .380 is a pretty common round. i pay about 16 bucks a box for range rounds, and that's high. a box of Winchester PDX rounds was only $23 bucks. and they sell them at walmart.

This was some months ago. I went to 2 gun shops and they both said the demand for .380 was very high. I was at Wally World today and they actually have some Federal .380 for $24/50rds. I was surprised because they have been outta them for a long time.

When i bought mine from the gun range, they wouldn't let me buy more than 1 box if I wasn't using it there that day. Thought that was strange. I'm in Ohio and they said people were stocking up on .380 rounds b/c Obama was possibly strengthening gun laws. I'm not in the loop on that. That's what both gun storea said though.

+1. arguing .380 isn't enough mustard is pointless. the point of carrying is to protect yourself against humans at close range. a .380 will surely drop a human at ranges you're likely to have to defend yourself at. yea, a .45 is going to leave a bigger hole, but i'm pretty sure if i unloaded a mag of hollow point .380's at point blank range, it's gonna yield sufficient stopping power. (that sounded a little crazy)

on another note, i carried my kimber ultra covert II for a few months, but it was heavy and bulky. i often had problems with printing unless i wore really baggy clothes. with my DB380, i have a little pocket holster that i slide it in, put it in my pocket, and i can wear tighter fitting jeans with it in the pocket and you'd never know it was there. looks like a pack of cigarettes if it prints at all. the holster is designed for a super quick and easy draw, and the gun shoots just like any glock. after all, it's pretty much a mini glock replica in many ways. so i'll stick by my DB380. it's a quality handgun, i've shot plenty of rounds through it accurately, and i would never leave home without it.

We have all for the most part have probably done nothing but confuse you...

Here is the reasoning I used before I made a decsion on what type/caliber, etc gun...

Unless you are toting around a MFing .50 caliber hand cannon, stopping power is a BS argument. .380 or 9mm does not matter as neither of them will instantly "drop" someone, aside from say an headshot, etc... If you disagree, you watch too many movies.

In short, if you are going to pocket carry, get what caliber feels good. I tried my buddy's Kahr PM9 (9mm version of the Kahr P380) and it was just too heavy/bulky in my pocket. The 9mm version is roughly twice the weight of the .380. The width was also a "no-go" for me. .380s run about .75", conversly, 9mms run about 1.2". It may not seem like much till you are sitting on it. I wanted something that I could almost forget is there, like a wallet.

Lastly, asthetics. Get something you like.

That being said, I have shot all of the guns I listed in my first post and the order is how I rank them as far as feel. I did shoot my buddy's Kahr PM9 and it shot just as well as my P380.

As far as the post saying the Kahr just "fell apart" in the person's hand, I would be interested to know the details. Kahrs for the most part rank above average in quality vs other manufacturers. Also, if S&W cleared up their QC issues, I would seriously take a look at the BG380.

For carry guns, less weight is better. Otherwise, you might buy a gun that has a bigger caliber or more ammo, but will end up carrying it less because of the weight.

For summer carry (shorts), I carry a Ruger LCP (.380) with alternating hollow and ball ammo for combined expansion and penetration.

For winter carry, I carry a Springfield EMP 9mm with JHP.

I used to own a 1911 steel commander bobtail in .45 (CBOB), but I found that it was a bit too heavy for everyday carry and ended up only carrying it occasionally. So far this summer, I have always carried my LCP with me everytime I go out. The weight feels like you're just carrying a large smart phone on your pocket.

If money is not an issue, look at an American made Rohrbaugh R9S ("S" stands for stealth which just means that it has a black slide). It is a very small 9mm (so not the easiest to control) but it is built like no other carry gun I've ever felt. It makes a Kahr feel like a Kia.

How do you plan to carry? (i.e. pocket, outside the waist band, inside the waist band, ankle, etc.?) I carry an XD45c or an XD9sc in an IWB holster and both are extremely comfortable and I have no issues with concealment or printing. For dress pants, I carry a Ruger LCP on a pocket holster. While I prefer to carry something with a little more "oomph", I don't feel under-gunned with the .380 round, as it is better than nothing. Plus, stopping power from a handgun round is a myth. Only a rifle or shotgun is going to have real stopping power.

The most important factor with any hangun round is shot placement. That said, the best advice would be to go to a local range and shoot as many options as they have. See what you are comfortable shooting and what you are most accurate with, then go from there and make your choice.

i'd never carry a gun without a holster, regardless of where it is. my BG380 stays in my pocket in a holster, round in the chamber, safety on. with a pocket holster, i'd be equally comfortable carrying the P238. round in the chamber, safety on. as long as your finger stays off the trigger until you're ready to use it, you shouldn't have a problem.

I am glad you do use a holster, however many do carry a "pocket" pistol without one. I just feel that a single action pocket pistol is an unnecessary risk when there are better options. It is something to be considered when purchasing a firearm.

Something comfortable! Well, and reliable, but that goes without saying. My first CCW was a HK USPc .45. Great weapon, but a tad on the thick side. Ended up leaving it in the car during summer months (some good that would've done).

Don't get too caught up in caliber debate. I've been shooting a lot more 9mm recently because, quite frankly, ammo is cheap and plentiful. More range/training time, etc.

If this is your first CCW, I would invest heavily in training an practice ammo. Additionally, wouldnt hurt to be familiar with the local laws or at least have a good attorney, ha.

Anyway, those days are long gone now that I live in CA.

Side note on the Sigs.. Our 226/8/9s at work have been workhorses. Some are beat to hell and still run like champs.